Greater Vancouver Baby Guide 2023-2024

Guide to
LOW MILK SUPPLY
BY SHEENA TABBERT, RN IBCLC
Why are we so obsessed with
milk supply?
When it comes to milk supply, our society often has
a “more is better” mentality. The truth is, a freezer
stash of milk is not a requirement. It can be difficult
to determine if you have a low supply, especially
when hormones and anxieties are running high,
sleep is running low, and you’re recovering both
physically and mentally from your baby’s birth.
If you are worried about your milk supply, it is
important to reach out for help as soon as possible.
An International Board-Certified Lactation
Consultant (IBCLC) can help you determine the
cause of low supply and provide strategies to help
you meet your feeding goals.
Causes of Low Milk Supply
Many factors can contribute to low milk supply. It
can take some detective work to determine causes.
Hormonal or anatomical barriers such as breast
surgery, diabetes, or thyroid issues may be
responsible. If such factors are deemed to be the
cause, milk supply can often be increased through
various interventions, support, and sometimes,
medications.
More commonly, infrequent and ineffective milk
removal is responsible for low supply. When your
breasts are drained of milk, your brain gets a signal
that it needs to fill them up again. When more milk
remains in your breasts after feeds, the signal to
keep producing gets weaker. This can lead to
lower production over time.
Anything that prevents your baby from removing a
maximum amount of milk will contribute to low supply.
Oral restrictions (aka “tongue-tie”) and prematurity
are some examples. Even misinformation or lack of
support can cause supply issues: strict feeding
schedules, early sleep training, and persisting through
painful latching are common culprits.
Mental health plays a crucial role in lactation.
Anxiety, pain, and fear can all interrupt the
important hormonal cascades that are necessary
for milk removal. When milk removal is impacted
by these factors, less milk will be produced,
causing more stress.
How do you know if you have low
supply?
Every breast has a different milk storage capacity,
and every baby has a different stomach capacity.
Some people may need to feed 12-15 times per
day to keep their baby satisfied and maintain
production while others only need to feed 8 times
per day. We must work with your body and your
baby for an individualized feeding plan.
• Signs of good milk production and intake
include:
• Breastfeeds are comfortable with no pain or
nipple damage
• Your baby actively feeds (sucks and
swallows) when latched (the length of every
feed will be different- sometimes they want a
snack, and other times they want a full meal!)
• Your baby wakes for feeds and seems
content and satisfied after each feed
• Your baby is gaining weight appropriately
6 • www.modernmama.com | GREATER VANCOUVER | A RESOURCE GUIDE | 2023/2024 Edition